Tag Archives: Netherlands

Chris van Weel is Emeritus Professorof Family Medicine at Radboud University, the Netherlands, and Professorof Primary Health Care Research at Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Primary care in the Netherlands

What do populations need?

The aging population, the increasing number of people with chronic disease and (co)morbidity, the frail elderly, and the increasing number of migrants from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia present a challenge for the health care system. The government increasingly promotes preventive and self-responsibility strategies for people to better manage their own health. ...continue reading →

Baukje (Bo) Miedema is Professor and Director of Research at the Dalhousie University Family Medicine Teaching Unit and Adjunct Professor in the Sociology Department, University of New Brunswick

“The constitution” of primary health internationally, as a core component of the structure of health, care can be traced back to the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978), even though its origins go much further back in time: 1941 in the Netherlands and 1948 in the United Kingdom. The Declaration states that governments have to be responsible for the health of their people. Primary health care is seen as an important vehicle to deliver health care to the population, and is defined as care that “addresses the main health problems in the community, providing promotive, preventative, curative and rehabilitative services accordingly.” The Declaration of Alma-Ata also states that by the year 2000 there should be “health for all.” ...continue reading →